SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO | Community News Focus

Options for Historic House to Be Pondered

The City Council today will consider what to do with the historic Joel Congdon House and 28-acre site adjacent to the San Juan Capistrano Sports Park, property previously known as the Kinoshita Farm.

The council will discuss whether to seek proposals that would involve both farming the land and refurbishing the house for public use.

The historic house, closely associated with the community's rural heritage, is not currently being used.

The council will also consider whether to extend an agreement with J & W Farms to operate the farm for a six-month period ending Sept. 15.

The company has leased the land since March 1993 from the city.

With the agreement with J & W Farms set to expire this month, staff members said the city has a unique chance to help preserve some of the city's agricultural history by marketing the land and house together.

Several other farming operations have expressed an interest in farming the land and renovating the Congdon House.